The field of the present invention relates to semiconductor optical devices. In particular, etched-facet semiconductor optical devices including integrated optical waveguides are described herein.
Various optical devices might include a semiconductor optical device and an integrated end-coupled waveguide formed on a common substrate. Spatially selective material processing is typically employed to form the semiconductor optical device on a semiconductor substrate. Additional spatially selective material processing steps are typically employed for forming the integrated waveguide (which may comprise different materials, such as silica or other low-index materials) on the semiconductor substrate. The accuracy that may be achieved using spatially selective material processing enables sufficiently accurate spatial mode matching and transverse alignment for achieving end-coupling efficiency at or above operationally acceptable levels for many optical device applications. Set forth hereinbelow are a variety of structures, and spatially selective material processing sequences for forming them, for optical devices and integrated end-coupled waveguides. Spatially selective material processing may be employed for forming concurrently multiple optical devices with corresponding integrated waveguides on a common device substrate.